The DOD is planning another force reduction cycle in order to reduce federal spending. This is just another spin on the military merry-go-round. I joined the Marine Corps in 1966 when manpower shortages were significant. I'll never forget being in line at the Armed Forces Entrance and Examination Station in Amarillo, Texas. When the staff said, all non-volunteers count off from 1 to 7. They they said all number 7's step out of the line. Once this group stepped out they were told they were being drafted into the Corps instead of the Army. What a scientific way to collect person power. Even more science was employed when the government instituted the draft by lottery program for a couple of years. Your obligation to serve in the military in a time of war was decided by the bounce of a ping pong ball. I served, got out and was lured back to the Air Force in 1971 with the guarantee of regaining the rank I acquired in the Corps. Off I went to serve when active duty members were needed to serve, still in the Viet Nam era.
Two years into this enlistment the DOD moved to a Volunteer Army model and needed to reduce the end strength as the war wound down. The Air Force was tasked to reduce their end strength by 40%. This plot did not effect me as I joined the Reserves in 1975 to attend college.
I later completed college and ROTC to become an officer in 1978. The end strength was really tight for about 12 years until Desert Storm when bodies were needed in all services. After several years of this era cuts came again. I then had 30 years of service with more than 24 being active duty. I retired in 1996 with the rank of Major.
Soon after 9/11 the person strength was diminished and could not support W's plans. The strangest thing happened. The enlistment age was increased from 35 years old to 42, where it sits today.The last 10 years or so has been a repeat of a classic cycle. The end strength was not available to support the war plans for Southwest Asia. This time huge benefits were marketed to attract volunteers. Because the economy was horrible many young women and men joined up to support the war effort. Now that these conflicts are coming to a close, active duty volunteers will be put on the street just like the mid 70's.
This next round of cutbacks will put many veterans in the unemployment lines with few civilian work skills. This cohort will be hard hit with mental health issues due to multiple tours in combat zones. Some members have 5 or 6 tours under their belts.
Our young women and men who serve the nation have been budget pawns for decades. We needed large numbers of troops to serve World War II, then there were huge cuts, but with many benefits given by a grateful nation and a wise Congress. The Korean war ,came then cutbacks, again. An unpopular draft again sent large numbers of military to support Viet Nam and then, again, cutbacks. Desert Storm came with a dandy stop-loss program followed by massive manpower cuts combined with massive installation closures, and very experienced and expensive members were let go in a Reduction in Force. Now we are reaping what we sowed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, for which we raised the maximum age for enlistment, lowered education standards for enlistment, and even lowered the criminal standard for enlistment in order to get troops, fast; we are now in the process of getting rid of them and avoiding paying benefits for their injuries. We have also eliminated so many of the post-WW II benefits I made use of to go to college, buy a house, and get post-career employment. FWIW, the VA just denied my application for VA medical benefits that would have surely been granted were the government not looking for ways to nickel and dime military members injured during their service.
Could it be that outside of WW II and, maybe, just maybe, Desert Storm we are killing our future for political gain? At the very least, during this cycle, let us sane citizens assist with jobs, education and our voting power to stop this 15 year cycle of insanity and assist those who took an oath of allegiance to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
In general, war does us no good and causes great harm to individual people as well as to our culture. War is a modern tool of the hawkish right and seems to win them elections. I use a term that describes my view of the current calls in the media and on the right for war with Iran-- Yellow Elephants wanting everyone else to go to war. Again.